And if you possess at least a bit of land, and believe you are ready to optimize the "food to table" cycle, then plant your own trees and grow the best cider fruit possible. Although planting your own certainly requires much more than simply having the land, its a dedicated and a demanding pursuit, please note:

nursery located in the remote high mountains of Ashe County, North Carolina. We specialize in the collection and propagation of antique and heirloom apple varieties of the Appalachian Mountains as well as many other apple varieties of the world.

pressing our own apple cider for 30 years now. We're confident it's the best you'll ever taste! Made fresh on the farm each week and throughout the year with our own, homegrown apples. When supply allows we also press pear cider! NO added sugar. NO added water. NOT pasteurized. UV-treated. Also over 72 varieties of apples for sale as you-pick and larger orders.

orchard and get the work done with a small, but capable staff. There’s a small section of the orchard devoted to antique Fench and English apples grown for traditional hard cider blends. They have great names like Brown Snout, Foxwhelp, Fillbarrel, Magog Redstreak, etc. They’re not for eating fresh, but for great hard ciders they’re the best.

Oregon- sits perched 2000 feet above the confluence of the Tieton​ and Naches​

and plums. Although organic farming requires a little more work on our end, we wouldn’t do it any other way. It is our pleasure to produce delicious, healthy, and chemical free fruits and contribute to the health of our environment. We also have unpasteurized apple juice available for those interested in making hard cider.

New York - is a family-run fruit tree nursery in Finger​ Lakes wine country (NY). ​

and Delicious Orchards in the heart of the majestic North Fork Valley of Colorado. This tiny mountain valley with high elevation, crisp, thin air, Rocky Mountain water, cold nights and warm days produces some of the finest fruits in the world. Big B's Fabulous Juices produces a full line of organic and local apple juices and ciders from organic Western Slope fruit.

with several varieties of delicious pears and blueberries. Try our gourmet apple cider. We have the only pasteurizing facility in the area, and also make cider for other growers in neighboring counties.

Colorado- Our family runs Big B's Fabulous Juices

Oregon- We are the only licensed non-pasteurized

the Garber brothers were operating a dairy farm and making small batches of cider from local apples in their barn. The cider was such a hit that they gave up the dairying life and started full time in the orchard and cider business.

Iowa- is the headquarters of Seed Savers Exchange.

family owned fruit growing operation. We are located in Williamson, NY, 25 minutes east of Rochester, NY, about three miles off the shores of lake Ontario. Our farm is now over 450 acres, consisting of many different fresh and delicious fruits including many varieties of apples, cherries, pears, peaches, prunes, plums, and most recently, raspberries.

also known as the "Hort Farm," is home for many trees, shrubs, perennials, apples and small fruit. More than 700 kinds of ornamental trees and shrubs, many of them uncommon or unique, are planted at the Hort. Farm. One of the largest known mature ornamental crabapple collections in the Northeast is located here.​

California- We Have been growing and shipping organic fruit trees across the country for over 30 years. Our nursery is very much a family effort; we plant, graft, prune, weed, water and harvest our trees with only a bit of outstanding seasonal assistance. We’re excited to share our bounty of bareroot trees which are a reflection of our labors throughout the last two seasons. As always, our nursery is centered on the rich history and future discoveries that our heirloom apple trees provide through the years. We continue to discover the unique flavors, textures and lore that surround our heirloom fruit trees and look forward to extending this experience to your home.​

New York- We’re a small family operation. Ian and Jackie Merwin own the

fresh fruit from as far as the eyes can see. A day at Walters’ Fruit Ranch is truly an assault on the senses that can’t fully be described without a visit to the rolling foothills of Eastern Washington. We grow cherries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, 21 varieties of apples, pumpkins and Christmas trees.

of apples are blended to produce delicious, 100% natural Yates cider. Yates takes pride in selecting the best balance of apples to give you the very best, balanced flavor of sweet and tart you can find anywhere.

We ship 400 varieties to backyard growers and professional orchardists. We sell disease-resistant and region-specific apple, peach, pear, apricot, plum, and cherry trees.

is a directory of most of the apple orchards and Pick-Your-Own orchards in the United States and Canada. It is also a directory of all things apples!​

Washington- exists to connect apple growers with cider makers. We make frozen, unfermented juice available to craft fermentors around the country. Samples from each batch of juice are analyzed before the auction, allowing cider makers to choose the right juice (tannins, acid, brix) for their cider.

​​list of the best apple varieties for cooking, baking and cider production.

make these long-ago favorites worth bringing back- and their great flavor makes them ideal for juicing. After selecting rootstocks and grafts from antique orchards, we are proud to reintroduce these heirlooms varieties to a brand new audience.

Connecticut- offers untreated cider for making hard (alcoholic) cider. You can drop off your own container, barrel, or carboy, and we will fill it with fresh cider. The best apples for making hard cider usually ripen in late October thru early November such as Winesap, Baldwin, Northern Spy, Golden Russet, and Yellow Delicious. We also offer 5-gallon carboy starter kits which include a carboy filled with cider and a water seal. Fifty gallon used whiskey barrels are also sometimes available. Please call ahead for availability.

growing and selling high-quality organic produce, free-range pastured eggs, flowers, apples, and persimmons. Our roots run deep with apples, we have a passion for growing and preserving heirloom varieties. We currently grow over 13 different varieties of apples. Some of our trees are over 70 years old, although we have planted most over the past 10 years. Because we do this all fresh and during season, our apples and ciders are available from August through the end of December of course depending on the weather and season!

licensed non-pasteurized cider making facility in Hood River County. Throughout the season the cider will have slightly different flavors such as tartness and sweetness.

California- is open mid-August through January with the picking season ending in late November or early December. Our orchard yields about 50 tons of apples. Another 15 tons of juice apples are purchased from Sebastopol. "We make close to 10,000 gallons of cider a year." Heating and pasteurizing changes the flavor of cider. Cider purchased at the site of pressing is not required to be treated. Nothing is added to the cider, making it an all natural product, which is hard to find these days. Don't believe the labels: Pasteurized apple cider is not true cider. The moment cider is pasteurized it becomes apple juice.

Wisconsin- the oldest active orchard in Waukesha, were established in 1935. The family-operated orchards have supplied the public with historic apple varieties for over 60 years. The orchards cover 16 acres with more than 700 trees and over 100 varieties with dates varying from the Calville Blanc d'Hiver (1598), Gravenstien (1600) to the Wolf River (1881) and Pink Pearl (1944). Weston's Orchards work to conserve these antique apple varieties from extinction. We have bench grafts on semi-dwarf rootstock available for most of the apple varieties grown at the orchard.

specializing in apples and apple cider, we have wide selection of mouth-watering fruits such as peaches, pears, plums, etc. to fill your needs.We cater to everyone, from the casual individual shopper to commercial customers.​​

Kentucky- we grow over 20 different varieties of gourmet apples along ​

Michigan- family business producing for Retail Companies and Food Service Distributors. To complement our outstanding selection of food products we proudly offer a variety of Organic and Kosher Certified items. Burnette Foods, Inc. evolved from the purchase of a cherry farm in Northern Michigan in the mid 1950’s to become a significant provider of shelf stable fruit and vegetable products through internal innovation and strategic acquisitions.

Virginia- Late every winter we sit down next to an old wood stove and put a new edge on our grafting knives. 80 to 100 of our favorite varieties of apples and pears are chosen to be bench grafted onto a variety of rootstocks and planted out in our nursery alongside the peaches and plums that will be bud grafted in the field come spring. We sell our trees either as one year whips, perfect for espalier, or more mature two year trees. All of our trees are sold bare root, which limits their availability to the dormant season. Our nursery typically opens in the second half of November and remains open through the end of March. You can find the full inventory of available trees by opening our online catalogue.

Virginia- The Blue Ridge mountains have long produced fine apples. Queen Victoria so prized Newtown Pippins from Bent Mountain and central Virginia that she removed the export tax from this spicy aromatic apple. The orchards at Foggy Ridge Cider continue this tradition of well grown apples, carefully selected for flavor and hardiness.

Indiana- Open mid-August through mid-November, our u-pick apple orchard, located in Northern Illinois, offers family fun & entertainment in a beautiful 120 acre setting. We have over 16,000 apple trees including 30 varieties of apples with new varieties being planted each spring.

rivers in central Washington. The long days, cool nights and fertile soils craft exceptionally great tasting apples, pears, cherries and apricots. Our newest plantings are 40 plus varieties of Heirloom and Cider apples. Cider apples are an integral part of making a balanced and complex cider.

Michigan- house pressed unpasteurized cider and sweet cider available all year.​

Indiana- is a family owned business operating in Southeastern Indiana. While

Washington-offers high quality, 100% natural fruit products.

apple and pear varieties. Our orchards are located on the Front Range of Colorado, where warm days and cool nights are ideal for outstanding apples and pears. We have over 150 different varieties of apples and pears.

​Utah- Stray Arrow Ranch planted Utah’s first commercial cider apple orchard in 2012. We are located in Torrey, Utah, the gateway town to Capitol Reef National Park. Our community has a rich apple-growing heritage extending back to the Mormon pioneer era and the historic orchards of Fruita, which are now part of the national park.

of growing with over 800 varieties of fruit trees, berries, unusual edibles, ornamentals & supplies for the American Gardener. Shipped directly to your home since 1972.

Illinois- We are a family-owned business working to preserving genetic varieties of heirloom fruits for future generations to enjoy. Many heirloom varieties are being bred out of existence and once extinct they are gone forever. We are passionate about fighting this so future generations can enjoy them.

and farm products using management practices that encourage a sustainable orchard environment. Through careful and minimal use of pesticides, applied only when needed, we provide customers with healthy and good tasting fruit and cider.

California- Spend a day with your family at our family ranch and breathe in the fresh air and countryside atmosphere. Pick your favorite fruit of the season right off the tree or vine; then, picnic among the apple trees and the hills. Take home a jug of award winning apple juice!

The farm is located six miles north of Decorah, Iowa. Nestled among sparkling streams, limestone bluffs, and century-old white pine woods, the 890-acre farm is a living museum of historic varieties. Thousands of heirlooms are grown in certified organic fields. Historic Orchard- The vast majority of apple varieties that were around in 1900 are now extinct or steadily dying out. In an attempt to halt this constant genetic erosion, SSE has obtained all of the pre-1900 varieties that still exist in government collections and large private collections. SSE has developed a diverse public orchard, where hundreds of different varieties of 19th century apples are on display. SSE's Historic Orchard also contains many old grapes, including more than 100 breeding lines from the collection of famed grape breeder, Elmer Swenson.

Georgia- is a family fruit farm established in the 1920's to produce and market apples. Today we have available more than 20 varieties of apples, as well as peaches, and fall vegetables. Apples are the "core" of our business which has changed over the years from primarily wholesale to a diversified retail store. Our present facility was constructed in 1983, and contains an apple packing line, cold storage for 10,000 bushels, bakery kitchens, and a retail sales area.​

Oregon- Situated in the Willamette valley we are central to the emerging cider market on the West Coast. We now stock over 200 types of cider apple and pear trees, with 12 different rootstock options.

Maine- your source for cold-hardy selections especially adapted to our demanding Northeast climate. Each year we observe hundreds of varieties, selecting only the best for inclusion in our catalogs. Through our product lines and cultural hints, we encourage sustainable growing methods. We offer a large selection of certified organic cultivars and regional heirloom varieties.​

and farm products using management practices that encourage a sustainable orchard environment. Through careful and minimal use of pesticides, applied only when needed, we provide customers with healthy and good tasting fruit and cider.

Pennsylvania-

Our apple trees are availa

Indiana- We produce over 60 varieties of cider apple trees in our nurseries. From custom bench grafts, we nurture the growth of our trees to ensure that they will reach their maximum potential in your orchard.

As one of the largest fruit marketers in the Eastern United States, BelleHarvest Sales' commitment to deliver high quality, consistently superior products hasn't waivered since day one.

Wisconsin- We are in the business of providing apple scionwood and climatized varieties of apple trees, pear trees, and plum trees. We specialize in antique apples which are propagated at our nursery in Northeastern Wisconsin. Our hundreds of varieties antique apple trees include Ashmeads's Kernel, Calville Blanc d'Hiver, Cox Orange Pippin, Esopus Spitzenburg, Hudson's Golden Gem, Pitmaston Pineapple, Roxbury Russet, and Pink Pearl to name a few. For those who do their own grafting, we sell scionwood of most of our antique apple tree varieties.

Organic farm located in the ideal fruit growing climate of Sebastopol, California. The Farm features 8 varieties of Asian Pears, several varieties of Apples, Fuyu Persimmons, Lavender, Plums and many sorts of berries. Gabriel Farm is the definition of a traditional “family farm”. This is where we live, work and raise our family. As organic farmers, we are devoted to the idea of sharing the process of raising our fruit with the folks who ultimately will eat our fruit.

since 1977 and have earned a spot on the Kansas Historical Society website. We buy our apples from commercial growers, mostly just north of us here along the Missouri River from about St. Joseph to Waverly. The apples arrive in large wooden crates weighing about a thousand pounds apiece.

Michigan- Our cider is fresh pressed and unpasteurized. As the time of the year comes and goes so does Klein Cider Mill's fresh produce and unpasteurized Apple Cider! Be sure to stop in frequently to see what is fresh and in season! Our produce is grown on our farm in Sparta, Michigan. And our fresh apple cider is pressed onsite in our Cider Mill.

everything we produce at The Gilcrease Orchard but our cider is our signature item! The naturally sweet, robust flavor comes from the variety of apples we grow ourselves. Every year about 80 tons of apples are harvested for our apple cider. We use our gala, yellow gala, an early red variety and a touch of Granny Smith to temper the sweetness. Absolutely NOTHING else is added.

Michigan-is known for making a premium cider. During the fall, as many

Obtaining the best Cider-Making Apples, Pears and Juice is the first and arguably most important challenge for the cider maker- whether as a home fermenter, an artisan/craft maker or an industry leader in cider sales. The quality, blend and many other key characteristics of the apple or pear establish the foundation for all that is to come in expressing the maker's artistry. Because so many of the great cider making apple varieties in the USA were lost during Prohibition finding them today requires a concerted effort coupled with luck and timing. Fortunately recent increased demand has revitalized interest in growing heirloom cider apples thus the future looks brighter.The producer/grower examples provided here are apple and pear orchards and juice producers who typically grow and use a wide range of apple types, as well as those producers that believe they have the best heirloom apple and pear types selected specifically for the cider maker.

When it comes to choosing the right apple, or blend of apples, the options are nearly limitless and making the best choices defines the master cider maker, some thoughts on apple types include:

Note: the Cyder Market, LLC does not endorse any of the products, producers or retailers shown; these are simply examples of some starting point items to assist in your search. The Cyder Market, LLC is not responsible for the content on external web sites. Images are the property of Cyder Market, LLC or screenshots courtesy of the cited webpage.

Minnesota- was founded in 2001 with the goal of establishing an orchard to produce high quality organic apples, pears

own cider in 2009 and added a cider making room to its iconic barn in 2011. Our cider making facility is state inspected. Completely unpasteurized, and totally delicious, it is made on site in our own cider barn, using only the freshest picked of our own apples. Selling out more quickly than it can be made, it is one of the Farm’s best sellers

Nebraska- Apples have been grown at Kimmel Orchard for nearly 90 years, and today the orchard produces a wide selection of 26 types apples that appeal to a variety of tastes and needs.

fresh-pressed Fuhrman's Apple Cider from September through December (and into the New Year when Mother Nature cooperates!)

Washington, remains committed to our co-op’s small town roots and rural values. Since 1960, we’ve been producing delicious fruit products and ingredients. Regardless of whether we’re producing strawberry or peach puree, dried apples, premium 3 Apple Blend juice, or one of hundreds of other fruit ingredients or products, our dedication to quality and craftsmanship is the key ingredient.

New Hampshire- Apples are purchased from a local orchard, wash, ground and pressed each Saturday. You can come view the pressing and sample cider right off the press. Our cider is all natural, no additives and unpasteurized to make the freshest tasting cider around.

Pennsylvania- The Cider

​Shack is filled with

Pennsylvania, Our Premium Apple Juice is made from 100% fresh-pressed American grown apples, not from concentrate. Contains 120% daily value of vitamin C, and is available with added calcium. Celebrate the fall harvest with our refreshing Musselman's Apple Cider. It's 100% juice. Available filtered or unfiltered.

The Heirloom Orchardist has compiled a list of classic apple tree varieties, and teamed-up with our sponsor e-commerce sites to make them available to you. And here, The Heirloom Orchardist presents our list of recommended pear trees. Again, we take advantage of internet commerce to make these pears available to you at great prices.

ble on many rootstocks. For a good apple crop you will need a different variety other than your choice for pollination. Boyer has over 60 apple varieties for sale, and an (A) indicates that the apple is an antique or heirloom variety.

If choosing juice as your starter there are good reasons to consider unpasteurized apple juice as the best flavor producing option however there are serious health implications and processing requirements to follow:

Washington- has grown to become an independent processor and global supplier for the industrial food ingredient, beverage manufacturing and health and wellness markets. Milne utilizes innovative, state-of-the-art technologies and rigorous quality controls to provide customers with 100% all-natural fruit and vegetable products to meet the needs of food regulators and diverse consumer demands.

Glenmar Farm partnership. There are over 7,000 apple trees and 300+ peach trees planted on approximately 45 acres. These trees are replanted on a 20-year cycle. The Applehouse (retail store) is open August through April and carries 30 apple varieties.